Heinz Lorenz (7 August 1913 – 23 November 1985) was German ChancellorAdolf Hitler's Deputy Chief Press Secretary duringWorld War II.
A native ofSchwerin, he studied law and economics at the universary. He left school and in 1930 obtained a job as a press photographer for the German Telegraph office. In 1934 became a junior editor with theDeutsches Nachrichtenbüro [de] DNB (German News Service).[1] In 1936, he transferred to the Press Office and worked underOtto Dietrich, Press Chief of theNazi Party.[1] He became a reserve officer and served asHauptschriftführer of the DNB from late 1942 onwards.
In 1945, Lorenz became the deputy press attaché in theFührerbunker.[1] Towards the end of the war, after Germany's own communications system was all but lost, Lorenz monitoredReuters on theBBC. Lorenz became part of a group who fabricated news reports by reviewing and re-writing Allied news reports. Lorenz worked for GeneralHans Krebs,Bernd von Freytag-Loringhoven andGerhard Boldt.[citation needed]
On 28 April 1945, Lorenz provided Hitler with confirmation thatHeinrich Himmler had contacted and attempted peace negotiations with the western Allies through CountFolke Bernadotte.[1]
During the pre-dawn hours of 29 April, Hitler ordered that three copies of hispolitical testament be hand-delivered toField MarshalFerdinand Schörner inCzechoslovakia,Karl Dönitz inSchleswig-Holstein, and theBrown House, Munich by Hitler's army adjutant,Willy Johannmeyer,Martin Bormann's adjutant SS-StandartenführerWilhelm Zander, and Lorenz, respectively.[2][3] The three men said their farewell to Hitler and were handed a white dossier with the testament by Bormann at approximately 4.00 am. Armed with automatic weapons and wearing helmets to break through the Soviet lines, the couriers left the bunker around 8.00 am. The men made it through Potsdam and to the Elbe River.[4][5]
Lorenz made it to the west. He was travelling under a false identity when arrested by the British in June 1945. Lorenz told interrogators who he really was and produced the original of Hitler's will and testament that he had kept hidden in the lining of his jacket.[6] Lorenz was held in prison until mid-1947.[1] Thereafter, Lorenz was private secretary to the HausHugo Stinnes from 1947 to 1953. He was parliamentarystenographer for the West GermanBundestag from 1953 to 1958 and Leiter of the Stenographic Service of theBundesrat from 1958 until retirement in 1978. Lorenz died inDüsseldorf on 23 November 1985 aged 72.[1]